Ashford College - The Hit List GCSE Surgery 2022

What if I don't get the results I want?

Alexandra (Deputy Principal): At College there is always something for you, we will get you to the university place that you would like or employment that you would like. There is nothing that can't be sorted out, come and talk to us and we will sort something out for you.

How can I support my child if they didn't get the results they wanted?

Alexandra: There are so many options, just try and keep them on a level. Reassure them, it's not the end of the world even though it seems like it is to them. It really isn't and it might open doors that they never even imagined or dreamed where possible.

What qualification options are available post 16 for me?

Susan (Principal): It depends whether you want to learn purely as a subject or whether you want to learn in conjunction with working, the T Level offers an option to do that. There are so many subjects now that you can study at A Level or BTEC and all of these will take you to university should you want to do that.

What is a T Level?

Susan: T Levels are the most exciting qualification to do at the moment. They have designed by industry professionals across the country, Funding is available to buy impressive kit that is industry standard which students will use daily. It gives students a head start when they're trying to get into industry. It's the same as 3 A Levels, it just gives you the employability side as well.

Alexandra: They are technical qualifications, where you do learn about an industry sector, but they are employer linked. One of the key things is that they include work placements, and employer projects that are linked as part of the assessment. Our tutors have industry backgrounds and are really excited about T Levels. Looking at industry standards and industry values right from the start.

What are the differences between sixth form and college?

Susan: College offers a much wider choice of course, a much more diverse set of subjects. It's an adult environment but the teachers are industry pros and the students get a lot from that and with our state of the art industry environments. It can be difficult for sixth forms to replicate that. It is best to look around and see which one makes you feel more comfortable.

Tash (Student Union President): Everyone is so much more friendly as you can discover who you are, and everyone is coming in to their own. Everyone’s comfortable with what they’re doing and there’s less tension than in sixth forms. It’s more of a community in a sense.

What support is available regarding careers?

Tom (Careers Advisor): At college there's a lot of support for people coming in. Students can come in for further support sessions with the careers team, which can help young people to think about different industries.

I'm not sure what I want to do at college/in the future?

Tom: If you're not sure what you want to do, choose something that you think you will enjoy as you will get more out of it. A lot of education today is aimed at increasing skills, so whatever course you do you will gain skills that will help you in your life and will help you prepare for the future and find the thing that is right for you.

If I change my mind about a college course after I’ve started it, what do I do?

Susan: Don't panic, that's definitely the first thing that I would say. When you start your course, if you start to feel like you've made the wrong choice, tell your teacher as soon as you can. Tell them that you're not enjoying it, they will support you, there will be no judgement, there will be only support.

What has been the best part about college?

Jake (Music Student): I’m really glad I did the Music course at Ashford as it's done so many things. It’s introduced me to the world of music such as behind the scenes, such as mixing and marketing. I have realised there's a lot more to it than simply playing music.

Tash: My tutor Mark has been the best and biggest inspiration, I’ve had all these opportunities at college thanks to him and now I want to be able to do what he does, and college has helped me realise that as well as explore my options in the music industry alongside my studies. I had always thought that I would go to sixth form and then go to University, but actually coming to college has allowed me to get a qualification in the industry that I really want to go into.

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